Concerto No1 in G Minor
by Caneater
Summary: Flitwick started an orchestra at Hogwarts in hopes to unify the houses in times of darkness. Ginny, who just got together with Harry, is chosen to play as a soloist in a concerto. But little did she know who her counterpart would be!
1. Overture

Ginny had always liked Harry. Although Ginny's main reason of dating other boys was that Harry would never look at her in that light. Not how Ginny always seen Harry since second year. However as she progressed through to her fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she begun to take notice of Harry once again. But what interested her further was that Harry was, too, noticing Ginny.

It started when Harry wanted to be with Ginny on the train to Hogwarts. Although Ginny had doubts: after spending most of the holidays at the Burrow, Harry now didn't have the company of Ron and Hermione since they had to go to the prefect compartment. Ginny was anxious to be with Dean at that stage, so she brushed off the offer. The next time was when Harry asked Ginny to join them in Hogsmeade. It wasn't like they hadn't been there together (with Ron and Hermione), but they had always ended up meeting in Hogsmeade. Of course, Dean was reconsidered and Ginny denied that too. But other little things cropped up: Harry spent more time with her and Ron after Quidditch practices; Ginny ended up discussing issues about the Dark side with Harry, even though Harry had never done so before. Ginny now felt it would be comfortable to just slip into a conversation with Ron, Hermione and Harry, where before she was shushed away by her big brother. Maybe all of there were because she was with the DA the year before and she went with Harry to the Department of Mysteries and that she had also grown up over the years.

Although Ginny took comfort in spending time with the trio. Well, maybe just Harry. Okay...definately Harry. Forget Ron and Hermione. Ginny had always known that Hermione and Ron would get together at some point, although she thought it would be sooner than the present. But if they got together, they would leave Harry as the third wheel. Ginny always thought before that Harry would end up with Cho Chang in Ravenclaw. But these days, Ginny had now imagined herself with Harry...

Her boyfriend Dean saw naught of this. He always took it as his job to look over her, to take endless care of her. Honestly, if she wanted to be mothered, she would go back to the Burrow. Due to this, Ginny had been irritated by Dean's actions. At first it grew at the back of her mind, but lately it has been aggravating Ginny so much that she had had enough of it. And she knew that some part of the break had have to do with Harry...but at least she wouldn't feel guilty about hanging out with Harry.

The break up was uglier than she liked it to be, but it a relief to get him off her back, and it felt good to be single again. Ginny thought that she would wait for the right opportunity to tell her Harry her feelings. It wouldn't be any time soon, otherwise people would think that Harry was just a rebound – probably even worse gossip would crop up due to the fact that Harry was Ron's best friend after all. But Finally, the right time arrived: it was after they won the Quidditch and the Griffindors were cracking open the Butterbeer for celebrations. It was sad that the team captain wasn't there to see the actual match, for Snape had given him unnecessary detention. As soon as Harry stepped through the portrait, Ginny knew exactly what to do.

A few months later, Ginny and Harry were now popularly known as the 'It' couple, or the Couple of the Year. It didn't bother them. Ginny was surprised when she heard that Ron was okay with them being together. He was probably relieved about the break up with Lavender and his reconciliation with Hermione to care much anyway. Dean was silent, giving the couple the silent treatment. It was difficult for Harry as they lived in the same dormitory together and they developed a good friendship with each other.

Things were going well when Ginny spotted the notice on the board. She was lounging on the couch with Harry in the common room, his head against her chest, Ginny playing idly with his hair. When he stood up to fetch a textbook from upstairs, she went over the noticeboard and gasped in excitement.

"What is it?" Harry asked when he returned.

"Flitwick's starting an orchestra!" Ginny exclaimed.

"As in, violins and things?"

"Exactly!"

"You play?" Harry was slightly shocked.

"I used to play the flute," Ginny explained. "Took it seriously until the end of fourth year, but I think I'm going to go for auditions! Look, they're on Tuesday!"

"It's always good to expand your repetoire," Hermione said from the desk she was working from. "I play in a small ensamble in the during the summer."

"Why don't you audition too?"

"I wish I could, but sixth year is so demanding!"

"Yeah, we have four essays due this week!" Ron exclaimed. "Blimey, if I wrote any more, then my hand would fall right off!"

"Why don't you take a break and I'll look over your work for you," Hermione told him kindly. Ron smiled appreciatively. Ginny and Harry shared a look and tried to hide their identical grins.

Ginny walked down the Grand Staircase, her flute case dangling from one hand. She heard voices inside the Great Hall and, stomach full of butterflies, she approached it. Inside, the four tables had vanished and were replaced by an chairs arranged in a cresent shape in front of the dias where the staff table usually was. Students were talking excitedly, unpacking various instruments and tuning, playing exerpts of different pieces. Ginny spotted Pavarti Patil and her twin, Padma, warming up together. While talking to them, she found out that Pavarti was also a flautist and Padma played the violin.

"What's _he _doing here?" Pavarti asked with a malevolent tone. Ginny turned and saw Draco Malfoy striding in to the Great Hall, carrying a violin case. His chin was raised in defiance, his step purposeful and confident.

Ginny's eyes widened in surprise. "Considering he comes from a family of Death Eaters, I'm surprised he even knows what an orchestra is," she muttered sardonically as the Patil twins giggled. Nonetheless, she wondered how well Draco could play his instrument.

Her stomach plummeted slightly as she saw Dean walk in with trumpet case in hand. "This is gonna be a very interesting orchestra," Pavarti observed, following Ginny's gaze. She was right. Ginny spotted Luna Lovegood with a large case that came up to her shoulder, Neville warming up with his clarinet, Ernie Macmillen showing off to Hannah Abbot (both carrying violins), Blaize Zabini lugging his double bass into position whilst Professor Sprout set her up her cello.

It was then when Prof. Flitwick strode in and said, "Everyone put your instruments down. I need you all to play individually so that I know where everyone is, and where to put you." Everyone started muttering and sat in their chairs quietly, the houses easily separated.

Ernie Macmillen played first, with a very impressive violin solo, energetic and fast. He was placed with the first violins. When Luna was called on to play, she summoned a stool and her instrument with her.

"Excuse me, Ms Lovegood, is that a tuba?" Flitwick asked, peering over his specticles.

"Why, yes," Luna responded dreamily. "It's an heirloom from my grandmother, Professor. She was the greatese tuba player in London in her day. Father decided to give me her instrument as it seemed to have skipped a generation."

"Indeed," Flitwick said with a cough. "It's not often we find find tuba players. Continue then." Luna played a polka, with a significant 'oompah' feel to it. Her face grew redder as she played, and her blonde eyebrows wiggled energetically but she played very well. She was accompanied off-stage with surprised applause.

"Mr. Malfoy," Flitwick called.

Draco stood up and sauntered to the dias. He placed his violin carefully underneath his chin and closed his eyes. The music that followed surprised the orchestra more than Luna's piece did. Draco was good. Very good. Ginny thought he would've played for atleast five years, if not more. But it wasn't just his skill, it was also his emotion and his tone. It was a slow, sad piece, the mournful tune was suited to violin perfectly, causing emotions to smart and choke up in one's throat. It prickled the flesh and chilled the bone. As Draco played his last note, the orchestra applauded loudly. Ginny wiped moisture from her eyes, hoping no one noticed her. Flitwick immediately put Draco in the first violin section, and made him his first violinist.

"That was beautiful," Pavarti whispered in awe as Malfoy strode back to his seat, a smirk forming on his lips.

"Unexpected," Ginny replied thickly.

"Are you crying?" Pavarti asked in surprise.

Ginny was saved by Flitwick. "Ginny Weasley!" She grabbed her flute and approached the dias. Without any hesitation, she raised her flute up to her lips. For a second she glanced at Draco, whose face was like a blank page. She took a deep breath and launched into a fiery minor key, her fingers flying from the keys. She had no idea how good she was, but she enjoyed the piece as it suited her temperment and her style. As he ended on a determined A, the performance earned her the place as first flautist.

After the performances, Flitwick said, "We won't be doing any rehearsing this week, as this was just to test the waters a bit. I do, however, want to push for a concerto since we have many talented musicians. A list will go up in the Entrance Hall to sign up for soloists."

It was only later in the week when Ginny looked at the lists. She was alone, Harry gone to do some work in the library with Ron and Hermione. She saw only one name, she could only guess who it was.

_Ernie Macmillen_.

Ginny smiled wryly. Ernie was a good violinist, but Ginny wasn't sure if he was good enough to be a soloist. Ernie was always ambitious, and probably was the first to sign up since the morning the list appeared. Ginny considered her options. Fifth year was tough enough, but Ginny thought that she could manage to balance her work, Harry and the orchestra rather evenly. Even if she did fall behind, she was diligent enough to catch up or ask for an extension. She fished out a quill and scribbled her name on to the list.

Ginny was buzzing with energy when she walked into practice.

"Ginny, I heard you signed up for soloist!" Pavarti exclaimed excitedly. Ginny smiled as she unpacked her flute. "Only two other people signed up for solos," she went on.

"Two?" Ginny asked.

"Ernie Macmillen and, get this, _Draco Malfoy_!"

"No!" Ginny gasped.

"Attention please!" Flitwick tapped his conductor stick on the music stand in front of him. He had to stand on a stool in order to be seen by the whole orchestra. "I have the names of the soloists and I've done some thought on the subject." He paused, the orchestra waiting with bated breath, Ernie Macmillen literally on the edge of his seat. "I have decided to have two soloists in this concerto." He adjusted his spectacles on his nose, the tension mounting in the room. "I believe our soloists are Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy."

Ginny's jaw dropped, Ernie protested in silent outrage and Malfoy frowned.

"Are – are you sure those are the two soloists?" Ernie stammered.

"Yes, yes, I'm not mistaken," Flitwick replied matter-of-factly. "Here is the sheet music, let's start from the beginning, the soloists can play with the orchestra until next week."


	2. Opening Theme

**Le Gasp!**

**Look, it's an update! How about that?**

**Well, I have inspiration (some), due to the fact that I attend SA's best music college (UCT FTW!). So, here is the next chapter. And I'm really sorry for the delayed updates, but they happen...steadily. I have internet now, so it will be easier to update.**

**I don't own any of the Harry Potter books!**

* * *

"Draco _Malfoy?"_ Harry exclaimed. Half of the Common Room looked at him quizzically, including Hermione, Ron and Ginny. Harry took a deep breath and lowered his voice. "You mean to tell me that you're going to working with Draco Malfoy for the next three months for an orchestra thing?"

"I think it's a good idea," Hermione said from her tower of books. "It will help to unify the fight against You-Know-Who."

"Oh, that's utter nonsense," Ron snorted. "The only reason that Flitwick chose them was to see who was better between the two of them. It's the ultimate showdown between Griffindor and Slytherin."

"Oh, ha ha, Ron," Hermione replied drolly. "Everyone knows that we have to set aside our differences in order to stand strong against Voldemort and the Death Eaters."

"Really, Hermione? _Really?_ Is that what you seriously believe?" Ron was getting quite upset at this point. "Name _one_ Slytherin that hasn't gone to…You-Know-Who. One."

"Flitwick's going to be at all our rehearsals," Ginny cut in, tired of their bickering.

"I didn't know that Draco even played anything," Harry said grumpily.

"Neither did I, but he's a really good musician –"

"So you're sticking up for him now?" Harry said angrily.

"No Harry, I-"

"Listen, Draco's up to something, and you might be hurt. I can't let you do this," Harry interrupted her.

Ginny stood, her hands balled into fists. "I think I can take care of myself, Harry," she said, tears prickling in her eyes. She turned on her heel and stormed out of the Common Room.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Harry shouted, standing up.

"To practice!" Ginny shouted back, and slammed the portrait door.

"Really, Harry?" Hermione asked her best friend softly.

"What?" Harry asked, a little too sharply.

"I think this is really important to her. You remember how excited she was when she heard when Flitwick started the orchestra."

"She shouldn't have acted the way she should," Harry accused.

"I think she should have." Hermione sighed. "I know you're protective over Ginny. But you have to give her freedom. Same goes for you, Ron."

"What did I do?" Ron exclaimed from his seat. Hermione rolled her eyes, while Harry sat brooding, staring into the fire.

* * *

Ginny found that the Astronomy Tower had the best acoustics in Hogwarts. Of course, she didn't have ample time to find the perfect room, but the sound was good and the view over Hogwarts was astounding. Not that it averted her attention. She was completely focussed on the sheets of music that she levitated before of her, her fingers flying over a particularly long run.

Her embrasure was not used to such vigorous activity, and her tone was nothing like what it used to be, but Ginny got rather impatient: when she received a new piece of music, she was determined to play it, horrid tone or not. At the moment, however, the top B-flat eluded her. It was ridiculously sharp, according to her charmed tuning-canary that sat on her window-sill. After the sixth time, it shrieked so shrilly at her, she banished it in annoyance.

She sighed emphatically. _Fine_, she conceded with herself. _Tone it is_. Starting on the B, the note that hovered precariously between the top and the lower register, she went down the scale, making sure every semi-tone was exactly the same, that every note was as good as the last one. As she reached middle C, she smiled. She was in such a good mood she procured the tuning-canary again to help her with the particularly difficult notes in the higher register.

She lost herself in the notes, the timbre of the flute clearing her mind. Only the quality of the note was important. Gone was the argument with Harry, the worried face of her mother, the pressure of the concerto, the threat of You-Know-Who over Britain, all her school work. All of it was gone with the purity of the top B. The tuning-canary trilled with approval.

"Good work," said a voice at the door. Ginny literally jumped a couple of feet into air. She was so into her tone work that she didn't even hear the newcomer arrive. She spun on the spot. Draco Malfoy was leaning against the stone archway that was the entrance of the room. Malfoy cocked an eyebrow at Ginny's reaction. "I'm sure I didn't mean to scare you," he said almost maliciously.

"Where are Crabbe and Goyle?" Ginny asked cautiously.

Malfoy smirked. "They weren't interested in the sound."

Ginny narrowed her eyes. She then nodded at the sheet music that still levitated in the air. "How are you finding the music?"

"Rather pretentious," Draco confessed, walking over to survey her score. "But what can you expect from a composition that includes one of the most virtuosity instruments in history and another that is merely there for ornamentation." Draco had a point, Ginny realised, but she felt differently.

"I think the flute has better uses."

"Oh, of course," Draco replied, completely immersed in the music. "In the orchestra, the flute merely adds to the whole experience. It doesn't do anything new. Soloistically, the flute is different, but I have not experienced much of that myself."

"So it was all violin for you?" Ginny asked, still quite suspicious of Draco's interest in her score.

"Indeed." He then straightened. "Mind if I stay for a practice run?"

It was Ginny's turn to raise an eyebrow. "I've only looked over it twice –"

"You should be fine," Draco cut in. He used a summoning charm, and his violin case zoomed into the room. Ginny's stomach started erupting into butterflies. What if she wasn't good enough? What if she messed up? She shook her head, red hair flying everywhere, banishing such thoughts. She's going to her best, and if it wasn't good enough for Malfoy, then tough.

They tuned according to the tuning-canary before Ginny cast a silencing charm on it. She would need it to check her tuning again later. "We should go just a little under tempo," Draco said, his grey eyes on his sheet music that was also levitated in front of him. Ginny looked at him expectantly. He sang the first few bars of the opening theme. She could manage that. Probably.

And after a count of four, they were off. Draco started with the theme, after which Ginny came in with a repetition of it. Draco accompanied her with broken chords as Ginny's part varied slightly, and there afterwards they soared to the higher registers, harmonising with each other and taking turns in announcing the melody in minor and relative keys. The time signature never changed, but there was some rhythms that made one or the other stumble slightly, especially when they were playing four beats against three.

Ginny found that Draco was easy to work with, and a really nice person to boot. It confused her: wasn't he the asshole of Hogwarts, the guy with such a big ego, the heir of the Malfoy fortune who strutted around the castle like he owned it? Where was he now? This boy was replaced with a grown musician, who was perfectly reasonable and even complimented Ginny. However bemused she was, she never brought up the subject.

Ginny was struggling with a particular rhythm, seeming to come in too early, which confused Draco's own playing. He stood over her score, surveying it through calculating grey eyes. Ginny couldn't help but admit that Draco smelled amazing. No doubt it was some expensive French cologne, but she realised that she really liked it.

"Oh, I see where you're going wrong," Draco said sagely. He turned to Ginny and gestured at her arm. "May I?" he asked. Confused, Ginny raised it. Draco placed slightly callused fingertips on her skin. Ginny cursed her insanely sensitive skin as goose bumps prickled up and down her arm. It seemed that Draco paid no attention to it and instructed to her the feel of the rhythm by playing her arm like a piano with his right hand.

"Got it?" Draco asked her, looking into her eyes. Ginny mutely nodded. It was then when another newcomer came into the room.

"What do you think you're doing to my girlfriend, Malfoy," said a familiar yet dangerously low voice from the doorway. Ginny's heart stopped. Harry. She belatedly realised he walked in on them while they were standing so close together, Draco's hand on her arm. Draco turned slowly. Harry stood seething in the doorway, wand out.

"Why so jealous, Potter?" Malfoy's voice turned mocking.

"Get away from her," Harry growled, his voice still in dangerous tones.

"Harry, we were just rehearsing," Ginny explained.

"That's supposed to make me feel better?" Harry asked his wand and eyes on Draco. Malfoy returned to his levitating sheet music calmly.

"It should!" Ginny said hotly. "We have to practice for the concerto, or has this event eluded your addled brain completely?"

Harry looked dumbfounded, and looked at his girlfriend in disbelief. Ginny glared at Harry. He then shook himself mentally. "That's not the point, Ginny! Look, Draco's a Death Eater. He has been since the beginning of the year –"

A laugh interrupted Harry and both of them turned to Draco, who now had his violin case slung over his shoulder. "What evidence do you have, Potter," he asked with a smirk.

"Madam Malkin's!" Harry exclaimed, his attention fully on Malfoy again. "I saw you flinch when she touched your left arm. That's proof enough that you're branded with the Dark Mark!"

"Absolute dragonshit, Harry, and you know it!" Ginny flared, not standing for any of this. "It could've been _anything_. Besides, he's too young to be a Death Eater!"

"Voldemort is desperate, Ginny," Harry said plaintively. "The Malfoys are completely on His side now, everyone knows that! It was about time that he got the Mark! He's going to do something horrible in the school, I just know it!"

Ginny wet her lips, her eyes swapping between her boyfriend and close friend for nigh on five years now, and the Slytherin with a bad reputation with the Dark Lord that she just started rehearsing with. _What else could I choose?_ Ginny thought, hopelessly.

Taking the advantage of the silence, Harry rounded on Malfoy. "If I see you anywhere _near_ Ginny, I swear, the Cruciatus curse will have nothing on what I will do to you." Harry never looked so menacing than he did at that moment, and the scars on his hand, _I will not tell lies_, shone incandescently.

Malfoy could do nothing but sneer at Harry, "I doubt you have the balls to do that." He then turned to Ginny. "I'll see you at orchestra, if your boyfriend _allows_ you to let you off your leash." He didn't give Ginny time to retaliate as he stormed out the tower. Instead, Ginny turned on Harry.

"We were just rehearsing!" she exclaimed again.

"You were alone, together, in the Astronomy tower!"

"It's not like I'm going to _cheat _on you, Harry," Ginny said sceptically.

"That's not the point, Gin. He could've hurt you. You've been in a dangerous situation before Ginny, and I couldn't ever forgive myself if that ever happened again."

"I was in first year –"

"And it could happen again!" Harry's wand was set aside, his face looked wretched and hopeless. "I can't lose you, Gin. You're the only thing holding me up right in this fight. There's so much…I can't…"

"Harry," Ginny said softly, walking forward and hugging Harry. His resistance crumbled and he held her almost desperately. "I'm not going to go anywhere. Besides, I bet I'm better at magic that Malfoy anyway."

Harry laughed weakly. "You probably are, Gin. You probably are."

* * *

Ginny arrived at rehearsal, butterflies in her stomach. She was nervous about messing up in front of the orchestra, and this also would be the first time she saw Draco since that incident in the Astronomy Tower. She was sure, however, that he wouldn't allow the music to interfere with her decision.

"How're you feeling?" Pavarti asked her in between warming up together.

Ginny finished her ascending chromatic scale before replying, "Nervous, but excited at the same time. Is that an actual feeling?"

"Ooh, yes. I had the exact feeling when Harry and I had to open the Yule Ball with the rest of the champions."

"You know, I forgot you went with Harry to that thing. How was he?"

Pavarti giggled. "He was all right. A poor dancer, but he was polite enough."

It was then when Flitwick appeared, and tapped his conductor stick in front of the stand in front of him. "Evening, orchestra. Can we all settle down in our seats please? Soloists front and centre."

Pavarti mouthed, "Good luck!" as Ginny nervously approached the front of the orchestra. Draco met her there, his face impassive. Ginny wasn't sure how he felt about the previous encounter. His face was hidden in shadow, and thus could not be read properly.

"Let's start at the top," Flitwick stated, holding his conducting stick at the ready. Ginny blew into her flute to keep it warm, as her head starting ticking off the bars until her entrance. She knew the score well enough, but it never hurt to be extra careful. Draco stood casually, his grey eyes focussed on his sheet music. Ginny bit the inside of her lip as the music washed over her. She was so uncertain about the outcome of the evening, and it stressed her to no end. She only hoped her tone and her technique would prove Flitwick's choice was right. And then there was the matter of Malfoy: he hadn't once looked at her since the beginning of the rehearsal. There must be something…

Just then, Draco glanced up at her with all the malice he could possibly muster.

"Malfoy!" Ginny flared.

"Weasley!" Draco retaliated.

They were giving each other death stares from opposite ends of their stands, Flitwick standing between them, looking rather annoyed, and the rest of the orchestra gaping at the pair of them in silence. The tiny conductor was trying to placate the soloists.

"There's no need to argue," Flitwick was saying hotly.

"He keeps on coming in at the wrong time…_in the wrong key_!" Ginny exclaimed, pointing a finger at the blond Slytherin.

"Now, now, Ms. Weasley, there was a change of key –"

"About twenty bars before!" Ginny cut in.

"It doesn't say that on my score," Draco said innocently.

Flitwich inspected Malfoy's score, and saw that there was no change in key or time signature. "Interesting," Flitwick murmured. He then pensively stroked his chin whilst walking back to his pedestal. Malfoy smirked and Ginny made ready to fly at him. "Ten points from Griffindor and Slytherin," Flitwick announced suddenly.

Both soloists stopped whatever they were doing and stared at Flitwick. "WHAT?" they exclaimed in unison.

Flitwick retaliated with a flick of his wand and their voices disappeared. "We will have quite enough of this foolishness! Both of you are old enough to be mature about this, and here you are, bickering like five year olds!" Ginny and Draco looked ashamed enough to fit Flitwick's scorn. His face softened slightly. "We will arrange private rehearsals so that the both of you can work on this. With my supervision, of course."

"Ah, Professor," Ernie protested from the violin section. "I could always take someone's place, in case things don't work out as planned…"

"No, no need," Flitwick said, waving Ernie away absently with his conductor baton. "I picked these two because of the, ah, chemistry between them." Draco and Ginny were looking at each other in vehemence. "Well, not right now, of course, but time might change that. Now, let's see what time we can do rehearsals." He summoned the soloists' timetables and scanned them.

"Tuesday and Thursday evenings seem to be free for the both of you," Flitwick said, lips pursed. Ginny bit her lip. Her only free evenings. Harry would never forgive her for this. "Meet the both of you in my office at six o'clock. You two may leave."

* * *

**Dun dun duuuuunnnn! Let's see where this goes!**

**Let me know what you think!**

**Signing off:**

**Caneater**


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